Investigators said individuals with both misdemeanor and felony warrants were taken into custody, while others were held for questioning.
SAN ANTONIO — Police executed a warrant at a northeast-side motel Tuesday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into possible human trafficking and city violations, according to the San Antonio Police Department.
SAPD said officers, along with multiple city agencies, conducted a DART warrant operation around 9:30 a.m. in the 4600 block of Rittiman Road.
A DART warrant is issued by the City Attorney’s Office to address nuisance properties with repeated calls for service or city ordinance violations, according to officials.
Investigators said the motel has been the center of thousands of calls to police over the past year, including reports of assaults, sexual assaults, disturbances and other criminal activity. SAPD also said some tenants had been living on the property for months, which violates city ordinance.
During Tuesday’s operation, officers discovered exterior locks that had apparently been modified to lock people inside certain rooms — an immediate red flag for potential human trafficking, according to police.
Special Victims Unit detectives are interviewing witnesses and possible victims, all of whom police say are cooperating.
Multiple people were detained at the scene. Investigators said individuals with both misdemeanor and felony warrants were taken into custody, while others were held for questioning.
EMS crews were staged nearby as a precaution.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and it is too soon to know whether the property owners will face any charges.
This is a developing story.